This invention relates to means for connecting the ends of belts or the like. More particularly, this invention relates to fasteners for the flexible joining of belts.
The present invention is described herein with respect to its preferred form which is a wire hook fastener which is generally aligned with a plurality of such fasteners in a strip which comprises a plurality of triangular-shaped hooks with inwardly turned arms which terminate with sharp points. The ends of belting commonly are joined in abutting relation with fasteners which are commonly called wire hook fasteners. These fasteners are generally in a strip which includes a plurality of triangular-shaped wire hooks held in a parallel, longitudinal, spaced and adjacent relation. The hooks are held together by means such as paper board strips or a wire welded to each hook. Each hook has two inwardly bent arms each of which terminate in sharp points. These sharp points enable the hooks and the fastener strip to penetrate and engage the belting upon the application of force which will push the sharp hooks into the belting, bend the hooks and clinch or hold the ends of the belting in abutting relation through loops created by the bent hooks. Generally after clinching, the fastener strip engages the belting with all the loops formed by the hooks of the fastener strip in alignment transverse the end of the belt, with the joint being completed with a hinge pin being slipped between the loops formed by the triangular-shaped hooks which are bent at their angular apex.
In joining belting, it is important that the inwardly bent sharp arms of the hooks enter and penetrate the belting properly and not be deflected in an undesirable direction either upon entry into the belting or upon engagement of the surface of a setting tool. Known fasteners often have hooks which present edges which not only are like a knife edge, but cut belting similar to a knife edge. If the edge of the hook is deflected from being generally normal to the surface of the belting as it begins its penetration, a poor clinch will result. A poor clinch also results if the edge is deflected to an unintended angle when it abuttingly engages the surface of a setting tool. Moreover, the edges of the hooks may cause cuts which will weaken the belting and cause the ultimate destruction of the joint. Heretofore, to avoid the above problems, it has been proposed to provide hooks with conical pointed ends. Conical points permit the hook to penetrate the belting in a plane which coincides with the surface of the belting which limits deflection of the hook as it penetrates the belting. Hooks with conical points, however, would not only be expensive, but would be difficult to make through grinding, or otherwise, on a mass production basis.
It is another object of this invention to provide a wire hook fastener for joining belting or the like wherein the wire hook fastener will engage and penetrate the belting on a plane which coincides with the plane formed by the surface of the belting without deflection or swerving sideways therefrom.
It is another object of this invention to provide a fastener which will not deflect or swerve in an unintended direction when it piercingly engages the surface of a setting tool.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a method for making wire hook fasteners which have points which will engage and penetrate belting without deflection or swerving therefrom.
These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent with reference to the following detailed description and drawings of which: